A journal of a gardener in Round Rock, Texas learning how to deal with clay and limestone "soil" and the heat! Whew! But also the joy that comes from getting out in the garden and enjoying nature and family.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

April Fool

I am a fool for April. The weather has been gorgeous. We have had a cool front come in. The weather is cool, the sky is clear blue, the birds are singing, and I find myself either sitting with my eyes closed and just feeling, or lying back on the newly emerging grass gazing up at that sky. I am just loving being out in the garden.

Baby Blue Eyes are still going strong.

The ruffled tulips bloomed just in time for Easter.

Hmmmmm, looks like Bocephus and I are enjoying the day much the same.

We left for Houston on Friday for the weekend. After dinner we walked through the park to our hotel, and caught an amazing fireworks display. I was standing in front of a refection pool. You can see the lights reflecting in the water.

This was an interactive sculpture in the park. You sit in the seat and whisper

...to the person sitting in the other one. The pictures were blurred because I was laughing so hard as I took these pictures.

The Glads given to me by Nola from Alamo North are in bloom.

We saw precious few Bluebonnets on our trip to Houston this year. I have to look to my own garden for any pictures this year. Click here: http://round-rock-morning-glories.blogspot.com/2009/04/bluebonnets.html to see last years Bluebonnet pictures. So sad that the drought has caused the bluebonnet fields to decline, but that's easily fixed with Bluebonnet seeds from the Wildseed Farm.

Senorita Rosarita Cleome

Isn't she a beauty? She (or one like her) was tested by Pam over at Digging last year. The Austin Bloggers Group are so good about passing on information. When I got the email that Home Depot had them in stock, I wasted no time getting one for myself. I chose one with lots of buds, but few blooms and it is already blooming away--happy to be out of that pot, I am sure!

17 comments:

Spring is my favorite time of the year, too, Jenny. I can just sit outside for hours soaking up the sights, sounds, and smells of all that it offers. Cleome is an old-fashioned favorite of mine, too; I'm hoping mine re-seeded from last year. Does this variety smell better than some of the others?

I understand the feeling of just enjoying the moment, spring offers so much. Lovely to see your blooms and new buy. So exciting to have additions to the garden. I wish I could roll on the grass like 'Bo', I would probably end up with an injury at my age!!!

Glad you enjoyed your trip to Houston.......laughter is the best medicine.

Rose, I wonder if it is because we have been couped up all winter, that we need to just sit outside and soak up the fresh air and sun? We have had such picture perfect weather, that I don't want to be inside at all.

I didn't notice a fragrance with the Cleome at all. But, my nose is so clogged with pollen right now, I don't smell much. I have to go outside with a box of tissues, which makes it hard to garden! ;-)

Nola, I have been wondering how your Bradford Pear looks this Spring. They were beautiful here, but were gone so fast, I didn't get a picture. The wisteria I was able to smell, and it struck me that it smells very much like Lilacs!

Cheryl, you need to lay in the grass with Poppi and Riley. I do it with the grands as we watch the clouds and make them into funny animals--"Hey! That looks like an Elephant/Duck". Or, "Look! It's a Pig/Deer". So much fun, and the sillier the better! Charley and I especially, can lay for hours and look at the sky. Libby--not so much anymore. Sigh...at 13, she has outgrown her Grammy somewhat. They grow up so fast. I have to connect with her through pedicures and clothes shopping now.

Dear Jenny we seem to have a lot in common. Your comment about the grands is so true for me too. We used to do such silly things, make YaYa sisterhood hats and dance and sing outside but those days are gone. Yes the 1/2 baby was my brother and he never lived with our father. We grew up in our grandparents home with too many men telling us what to do. My mom had 3 adult brother and her father still at home. They were good to us though. They hated our father because he hurt our mom and would not let him near us when they could stop him. Did I tell you our son lives in Austin. I love it there. I love gardening and one of my baths is decorated in hats. Hats everywhere. BlessingsQMM

Austin is just gorgeous right now. Everyone is out in the sun today. I thought I would go to Home Depot to get some mulch for the flowerbeds, but turned around and went home when I saw the crowds! Did your son tell you there is going to be a waterpark built on F.M. 1431? The road you take from I-35 to Cedar Park! I am so upset I want to move! We built out here to get away from the city, and they are building it out to us.

Yes, we do have a lot in common. Much the same story is being lived out with my daughter and her two girls that are living with us. I am sure we are too protective of them, but once you see them hurt, it is hard not to over-react.

Hi Jenny - just came in sneezing with oak pollen in my hair - everything is yellow this morning. But like you, can't stay inside!

We drove down MoPac to south Austin yesterday and both sides of the highway were wonderful - bluebonnets, paintbrush, pink primrose, verbena, gaillardia, white prickly poppies, and all the yellow daisy-types I've never kept straight.

I read about the new water park - sorry it will impact you. The timing for building something that will need huge amounts of water when we're barely out of that horrible drought seems kind of weird, doesn't it?

I'm an April fool, too. It is wonderful soaking in the warmth (when it's here) and seeing all the plants coming up and some blooming. Things are looking great your way! You are way ahead of us, but I can be patient at this point. Your dog is a sweetie! Heidi is enjoying being out more, too.

I think we could all take a lesson from our dogs. They know how to stop and enjoy the day and the sunshine. Our Spring seemed to take forever to get here, and now that it is, it's flying by. I'm glad your part of the world is waking up too.

Gail, We did have a great time in Houston with the granddaughters. I know it won't be many more years until they will be too old to want to spend the weekend with us, so we are enjoying it while we can.

Please Don't Take Offense

Bocephus The Wonder Dog

Cats In The Cradle

About Me

I want to write about gardening and the challenges that I face learning how to garden in rocky limestone clay Zone 8B. But with 2 dogs, 4 cats, and a daughter with her two children having to move in with us, chaos insues! I am sure I will have to write about our adventures (and misadventures).